By Ashley Sim & Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 7: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg believes that the long-awaited completion of the Pan Borneo Highway will fulfil former Sarawak Chief Minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem‘s (Tok Nan) wish to have a world-class road network in Sarawak.
Abang Johari recalled that the late Tok Nan once compared the experience of driving from Kuching to Lawas to “maok patah pinggang” (back-breaking).
“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God) that this is our dream in Sarawak to have world-class roads.
“‘Sik belakang kita patah lagik’ (Our backs will not be broken) by taking taxis and cars, as the late Pehin Sri Adenan mentioned.
“So it is now clear that what we promised will be fulfilled,” he said today at a ceremony to mark the opening of the WPC 11 Pujut Section of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Miri.
Furthermore, he asserted that with the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway, Sarawak is on the right track in ensuring that the infrastructure development projects endorsed by the federal and State government are completed for the people’s convenience.
“I congratulate the people of Miri because we now have good roads that we can use to travel between Miri and Sibu, Miri and Limbang, and soon Miri and Kuching.
“Our goal is to become a developed, high-income state, and with federal government assistance, we can achieve that goal,” Abang Johari noted.
Among those present during the event were Prime Minister Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Senior Minister of Works Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof, Sarawak Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, and Sarawak Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi. — DayakDaily
